Google Maps Gets Redesigned Explore and New 'For You' Tabs for Personalised Recommendations

Weeks after an announcement at the annual developer conference Google I/O 2018, Google Maps is now getting a redesigned Explore tab that has started rolling out to users on Android and iOS globally from Tuesday. With inputs from local experts and Google's machine learning algorithms, the new Explore tab and a new For You tab will help users locate places to eat and places of interest near them. Additionally, the Android app has received a Material Design-like styling with colourful and rounded icons.

As per Google's blog post, Google Maps gets a new revamped Explore tab that offers recommendations for places to eat and drink such as restaurants, bars, cafes, places of interest such as gyms, museums, and libraries, shopping avenues according to category, and services like ATMs, hotels, car wash, etc. On Android, the app will automatically keep a track of your progress and offer you restaurant suggestions based on your history.

If location history is turned on, the app will also show how accurate the match is as per your preferences. "Each restaurant or bar now features "Your match," a numeric rating that tells you how likely you are to enjoy a place based on your own preferences - so you can save time scrolling through lists of reviews and quickly make a decision about where to go," said Sophia Lin, Senior Product Manager, Google Maps in the blog post.

In the new Explore tab, users can also see activities around them and filter them according to budget and whether they are good for children and family outings. You can even choose between indoor and outdoor activities. Using the tab, users can also enter in their food and drink preferences so as to offer personalised dining recommendations. This can be done by going into Settings and selecting the type of cuisines and restaurants.

A new For You tab, spotted last week rolling out to select users, has now started rolling out widely, although it will initially be available only in US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan. The tab allows users to follow certain locations that helps them view the latest cafes and restaurants that have opened up near them once they get listed on Google Maps.